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About me

I have a very simple first name which sounds like a song, Lala Ema. I was born in Aix-en-Provence, in the south of France. My parents are originally from Madagascar and Lala means beloved in Malagasy. I also have a French ancestor in my mother's family tree and I like to think he also had a sweet tooth, just like me !

I mostly lived in France and also in Ireland and the United States (well, just one year as a graduate student at the University of Virginia). After working many years in Paris, as a stationery designer, I moved to the south of Spain, near Granada where the scent of jasmine in summer and mimosa in winter reminds me of my sweet Provence. I feel really at home here. I live in an old restored village house with very thick walls. It has no garden but a lovely patio and a wonderful roof terrace which we transform into a Moroccan lounge in summer. In the old days, people would keep a donkey in the patio. I quite like the idea...

The Andalusian slow life conquered me. Here, it is important to sit at the table for lunch and dinner and enjoy it...not rush it. I am also a fervent baker and started to design aprons to feel pretty in my kitchen. First I sold a few to my hairdresser, my neighbors and friends and eventually set up an Etsy shop.

Although, I love Spanish food, the only thing I miss here in Spain is the French pâtisserie.

This led me to set up Pop Up French Pâtisserie events. The idea is to recreate a French pâtisserie filled with classical French pastries like lemon meringue pie, charlotte, chocolate tart, financiers and so on. I love doing it and am delighted to share my passion with other cake lovers. It is so wonderful to give pleasure to people that way....You can see my Pop Up French Pâtisserie events here.

So I keep up baking regularly, mainly for the enjoyment of my friends and a restaurant in the village where I live. I also give pastry courses in my workshop at home and other places.

This blog is a visual diary of my Spanish life in Andalusia. I hope you will enjoy being part of the journey !

My name is Lala Ema. I’m an ex Parisian living a village life in Andalusia (southern Spain). I create paper objects, I make aprons, I bake cakes for a restaurant and I occasionally translate to earn the extra bucks. Andalusia, gardens, pastry making, flowers, cakes and books and my Spanish boyfriend are my constant inspirations.